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Student Governors

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to change the arrangements concerning the numbers of student governors in institutions of further and higher education. [8792]

Dr. Howells: In respect of further education, governing bodies may include a student governor and we have no plans to end that arrangement.

We shall be considering what the National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education has to say about student membership of institutions' governing bodies in its report which is expected shortly.

Education Funding

Ms Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much is currently spent by his Department (a) by proportion of national income, (b) by proportion of total education spending, (c) by proportion of Government spending and (d) in cash terms on (1) higher education, (2) pre-school education and (3) primary education. [8700]

Mr. Byers: The figures requested are as follows and are estimated outturn for 1996-97, the latest year for which such figures are available:

(a) 2.0 per cent. (Source: FSBR 97 and PESA 97)


(b) 30.0 per cent. (Source: PESA 97)


(c) 5.0 per cent. (Source: PESA 97)


(d) (1) Expenditure on HE and student support: £6,343 million. (Source: DfEE Departmental Report 1997)


(2) Pre-school education expenditure in 1996-97 was £25.5 million which covered expenditure on the pilot schemes for nursery vouchers. (Source: DfEE Departmental Report 1997).


(3) It is not possible to separate central Government expenditure between primary and secondary schools. However, in addition to central Government expenditure local education authorities spent some £18.4 billion on recurrent education expenditure in 1996-97, of which expenditure on under 5s accounted for £1.4 billion and expenditure on primary schools accounted for £5.7 billion. (Source: DfEE Departmental Report 1997).

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Disabilities

Ms Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what decision he has made on the future of the National Advisory Council on Employment of People with Disabilities; and if he will make a statement. [9138]

Mr. Alan Howarth: The Government is committed to introducing comprehensive and enforceable civil rights for disabled people against discrimination. Employment and training issues will form an important part of this. The National Advisory Council on Employment of People with Disabilities (NACEPD) has provided advice on matters concerning the employment and training of disabled people for a number of years and I want it to continue to do so whilst the Government develops its proposals for the future. I have, therefore, extended to 31 March 1998 NACEPD's term of office and am pleased that most members have been able to accept the extension of their appointments.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

Water Companies

Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what actions are being taken by the water companies and by the Government on the 10-point plan he announced at the recent water summit. [7543]

Mr. Prescott: Each water company has now responded in a generally positive and constructive way to our proposals for action. I have today placed copies of each company's response in the Libraries of the House, together with a short analysis of them prepared by my Department.

All water companies will now provide free supply pipe leakage detection and repair services to their household customers. Eight of the smaller companies have told me that they will limit the number of free repairs to any one service pipe. Two other of the smaller companies have decided to replace leaking supply pipes free of charge.

All companies are taking action to promote water efficiency. All tell me that they are making significant efforts in the provision of water saving devices. Most are actively distributing devices to reduce toilet flush volumes or else are making them available free on request. A very few companies have decided to conduct trials before committing themselves to widespread promotion; they should take very careful note of what the majority of companies have done and are doing. Most water companies already offer free water efficiency audits to household customers. The remainder are developing or evaluating the service they intend to offer and I want them to go firm very soon. All water companies confirmed that they have in place a wide variety of measures to encourage water efficient gardening. All companies see clear roles for the Environmental Task Force in promoting water efficiency.

In addition to the 14 companies which had already done so, eight companies have indicated to me that they are now prepared to conclude formal arrangements with the Director General of Water Services in respect of their

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compensation schemes for drought-related supply interruptions. I want to see these eight licence amendments made by October. I also want the six other companies which indicated that they are minded to accept licence amendments to resolve their reservations with the Director General and to have the amendment process agreed by the same time. That also applies to the one company which still declares itself unable to accept licence amendment. All companies have expressed a willingness to consider compensation payments if they have to issue advice to boil or refrain from using mains water for reasons within their control.

Those companies which have not already done so are now moving to agree with the Environment Agency a publicly-available drought contingency plan. I am pleased that the industry is united in taking this action in advance of our bringing forward legislation to make it a statutory requirement when Parliamentary time allows.

We asked companies to do more to explain to their customers their water supply performance targets and how well they are being met. Altogether, I believ'e that companies are taking appropriate action. But none should rest contented with their efforts.

I shall be looking for sustained commitment to all of these actions. So I shall be writing to all companies again in November, asking for an update on the various activities and initiatives they have described to me.

We have kept to our part of the plan. At its head was tough action by the Director General of Water Services on leakage. He wrote to all water companies on 22 May, setting out the process by which he will establish mandatory targets.

We said that we would make new water regulations which would include significantly tighter requirements for water efficiency. The proposed recommendations of the Government's Water Regulations Advisory Committee were published for consultation on 19 June. We also announced that we would be conducting two reviews. My right hon. Friend Michael Meacher announced on 25 June the launch of a review of the water charging system in England and Wales.

Today, we are launching the review of the water abstraction licensing system in England and Wales. A key aim will be to ensure that abstraction licensing and related processes provide full protection for the environment while enabling fair and flexible arrangements for meeting properly-managed demand for water resources. This review will be conducted jointly by my Department and the Welsh Office, in consultation with the Environment Agency and the Office of Water Services. My Department will be writing today to interested organisations, inviting their representations on a wide range of issues associated with water abstraction. A copy of this letter has also been placed in the Libraries of the House.

City Diesel

Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the potential environmental benefits of City Diesel. [7444]

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Angela Eagle: The Government is very interested in the opportunities offered by cleaner fuels, including ultra low sulphur diesels such as "City Diesel", particularly their potential to play a part in the improvement of urban air quality. My Department is currently sponsoring comparative trials of both cleaner conventional fuels and alternative fuels, including natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas and bio-diesel. "City Diesel" is included in the trials, which will provide an indication of both the emissions reduction potential of the fuels and of the practicability, reliability and driveability of vehicles which use them. The results of the trials will be published later this year.

Members' Interests

Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions on what occasions, (a) Ministers and (b) officials have refused to (i) arrange and (ii) attend meetings with hon. Members to discuss matters relating to interests registered by those hon. Members under categories 1, 2, 3, 4(b), 8 and 9 in the Register of Members' Interests. [8101]

Angela Eagle: The First Report from the Committee on Standards in Public Life (Cm 2850) made it clear that, when Members are meeting Ministers or others on topics in which they have an interest, the onus is on the Member to declare that interest and not the Minister to know.

Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will ensure that (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department refuse requests from hon. Members to (i) arrange and (ii) attend meetings relating to interests held by those hon. Members under categories 1, 2, 3, 4(b), 8 and 9 in the Register of Members' Interests. [8098]

Angela Eagle: The First Report from the Committee on Standards in Public Life (Cm 2850) restated the requirement to declare any interests, both in the Register of Members' Interests and on other appropriate occasions. Subject to these requirements, and to the rules of the House relating to delegations to Ministers, Members are free to seek meetings with Ministers and officials, who will consider such requests alongside the many other approaches from individuals and organisations concerned to press their own interests or those of others. Their representations are viewed with their declared interests in mind.

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